Coating machine



c. w. MAYER ETAL 285,041

June 2, 1942.

COATING MACHINE Filed Aug.'8, 1958.

`'7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IVENTORS: yam/62:5* and June 2, 1942a C. W. MAYERET'AL COATING MACHINE FiledAug. 8,v 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 2, 1942.w. MAYER ETAL f 2,285,041

' coATING MACHINE Filed'Aug. 8, 1938 f v sheets-sheet 5 ar/m Zz)./lfaygg INVENTORS.'

June 2, 1942- c. w. MAYR Asama. 2,285,041

coATING MACHINE Filed Aug.; e, 1958 fr sheets-sheet esA TTG-.15?

June 2 1942- y c. w. MAYERV ETAL K `'2,285,041

coATING IMACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 CZJI'GZ? M a2;INVENTORS:

on the same scale;

Patented June 2. 1942 COATING MACHINE Charles W. Mayer, Walter Lueders,and Ralph J.

Consler, Rochester, N. Y.; said Lueders and said Consler, assignors tosaid Mayer Application August '8, 1938, Serial No. 223,622

10 Claims.

Our present invention relates to coating machines and more particularlyto machines for applying a liquid coating to a continuous web of paperor similar material as it passes from a supply or mill roll to ultimatewinding lin a finished state on a take-up roll, and the invention hasfor its object to provide an improved and enlcient machine of thischaracter that will work with rapidity and produce a iinished coatedproduct of exceptional quality. The improvements are d1- rected in parttoward the means for applying and spreading the viscous dope upon theweb; toward the means for controlling its temperature and hence itsviscosity; toward means for properly surfacing and spreading thereceiving Web before it goes to the dope spreader; toward means forinsuring the coating of the paper or similar material to its extremeedges so that trimming is not thereafter required, and toward means forburnishing and imparting uniformity and luster to the coated web beforeit is wound as a iinished product upon the take-up roll. 'lovrthese andother ends, the invention resides in certain improvements andcombinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described,the novel features being pointed out in the claims at thevend of thisspecication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a coating machine constructed inaccordance with and illustrating one embodiment of our invention, thedetails of various elements of the machine having been made subservientin this view to a clear portrayal of theigeneral scheme of the drivinggear;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but more diagrammatic in its nature,the same being addressed largely to making clear the path ofthe web asit proceeds through the machine;

Fig. 3 is a very much enlarged view broken away of the unit mechanismthat spreads or attens and prepares the web just before its passage intoy the dope applying area; Y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the spreadingldevice shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryr front elevation ofthe unit of Fig. 3 further enlarged;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of theA driving mechanism of theunit of Fig. 3 still on the same scale;

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 1-1of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the linevofFig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan View partially in section,

plicator;

broken away, and enlarged of the lower contact I member for the web thatopposes the dope applicator; v

Fig. 10 is an enlarged elevation partly in section and brokenaway of thedope applicator viewed from the same side of the machine as appears inFig. 1;

, Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary View of certain elements of thedope applicator;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of one of thecut-off valves of the dope ap- Fig. 13 is a top plan'view partly insection of the dope box on the scale of Fig. 1 or much reduced in scalefrom the related iigures on the same sheet;

Fig. 14 is a rear elevation, enlarged and viewed from a, planetransverse to the main, of a unit or station of the machine embodying asmoothing and burnishing device that acts upon the coated web as a lasttreatment before' it goes to the takeup roll;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view further enlarged of Vthe unit or mechanism ofFig. 14 partly broken away through the center and otherwise;

Fig. 16 is a detail on a small scale showing a top plan view outline ofthe bed incorporated in the unit mechanism of Figs. 14 and 15;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the lineITI-Il of Fig. 14 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig, 18 is a similarly enlarged section taken on the line |8-l8 of Fig.14 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

It will be assumed for the purposes of explaining the illustratedembodiment of the invention that this machine is utilized for thespecific function of applying to a web of paper tissue a wax and carboncoating as irl/the manufacture of typewriter or manifolding carbonpaper. The mixture of wax and pigment such as carbon particles held insuspension has its desired viscosity at the point ofapplicationcontrolled largely by temperature and after application the coating iscooled or set on the body or carrying web and with certain otherintermediate treatments finally ywound upon a take-up roll that finishedbulk product.

To rst give a general idea of the course of treatment of the web itselfin its passage through the machine, we have prepared Fig. 2 of thedrawings and now make particular reference thereto, it first beingexplained that the elevation of this constitutes the 1 roll spindle 4 onwhich is wound a given supply of paper P, the course of which therefromis shown in' dot and dash lines. From the mill roll the web proceedsforwardly (and thereafter as indicated by the arrows) under and overguide rolls 5 and 6, respectively, and thence upwardly and rearwardlyaround a hollow preliminary heating roll 1 having suitable pipingconnections 8 for hot water or steam. This last is what we callgenerally station A for the treatment of the web preparatory toreceiving 'its coating. Such station includes a brushing and stretchingunit that traverses the web as held against the roll 1 transversely fromthe center Ain opposite directions toward both lateral edges. It has amultiple function. It cleans the paper by removing lint or free paperfibers; it stretche the paper laterally to the fullest degree and itinsures intimate contactl thereof with the surface of such preliminaryheating roll 1.

From the latter roll and station A the web proceeds rearwardly,preferably at the upward incline shown, and almost immediately passesthrough station B. This station includes a dope box or source of supplyof the viscous liquid that constitutes the coating and also particularmeans concerned with this inventionfor effecting proper application ofthe dope to the surface.- i

In rear of station B is embossing station C where the freshly coated webpasses between suitable rolls 9 and I0 for impressing thereon if desiredfigures or markings in the nature of water marks as used in generalpaper manufacture.

insuring its evenness for uniform results 'in manifolding use and tomake sure that no wrinkles exist therein. Thereafter the web passes overguide roller I8 to the final station H at the rear of the machine whereit is accumulated in a winding roll I9 supported by a mandrel 20 insuitable bearing blocks 2I on the frame I.

It is not essential to this invention but, in order to interpose aprotective covering over the coated surface in its tightly woundconvolutions in roll I9, we provide a mill roll of tissue I on a mandrel22 in journal blocks 23 at-the top rear of the machine, which tissueweb, indicated at T, is drawn oif downwardly onto the roll I9coincidentally with the web P, as indicated.

It will be next convenient to describe the general driving set-upwhereby power is communicated to most of the instrumentalities locatedat the various stations that have been outlined. For this pul'pOse,reference is to be had mainly to Fig. 1 but in conjunction with the morediagrammatic outline of Fig. 2 just traversed. The main drive shaft 24through a pinion 25 drives a gear 26 on a driven shaft 21 provided witha sprocket 28. This sprocket is the prime mover of a relatively longsprocket chain 29. Such chain carries first over a jockey 'sprocket 30ahaving adjustment for tightening the chain to a sprocket 30 on thepreliminary heating roll 1,- thence rearwardly and downwardly around asprocket 3| on roll I5, thence upwardly and rearwardly over a sprocket32 onroll I3 and finally downwardly and forwardly over idler sprocket32a to the first mentioned driving and driven elements.

There are oisheets of this main line of driving power communication. Theshaft' of roll I3 at station E is provided with another sprocket 33through which a chain 34 drives through a sprocket 35 with a tensionadjusting jockey 35a the lower roll I0 atthe embossing station C.Another sprocket on the shaft I5 at station F carries a chain 36travelling over a sprocket 31 on the shaft 20 of the take-up roll atstation H to drive the latter. Also, as the main driving chain thenexisting conditions of operation it might be another heating station.'Ihis is immaterial, however, as the element consists essentially of ahollow roll I3 like roll 1 and similarly provided with intake andexhaust water or steam fittings From station E, after passing around andbelow it, the coated web P continues `forwardly as indicated aroundanother coolingroll I5 constituting station F which roll is fitted at I6like stations A and E and here the final cooling and setting isaccomplished. From thence it passes rearwardly again over a guide rollI1 through a final treat. ment station marked G. It will be noted bytracing the web that at this point the coated side is uppermost and thefunction of the unit here located is to again stretch the webtransversely from the center toward both lateral margins;

29 passes from the sprocket 30 on the roll 1 of station A to thesprocket 3| on roll I5 of station F, it meshes with and drives a spursprocket 38 on a stud shaft 39 for the purpose of activating the webbrushing mechanism of station A in a manner to be described.

For a detailed description of this station A mechanism, reference willnext be had to Figs.

3 to 8. Spanning the machine at the front bey tween the side plates ofthe main frame I is a subsidiary frame 40. It comprises and supportsfront and rear vertically disposed plates 4I and 42 that are rigid withrespect to tha-t frame and consist of alined central columns 4Ia and42a. At each end thereof, the subsidiary frame 4II carries brackets andsuitable bearings 65a in the two brackets support shafts 43 'and 44` in"pairs, which in turn carry pairs of pulleys 45 and 46 that support belts41 and 48 that run transy versely of the paper web P in oppositedirections from the -center toward the opposite margins of such webbeneath the roll v1 of station A. The Ybelts 41---48 are furnished withbrush blocks 49 ,as flexible units capable of passing over the pulleysaforesaid. vThe 'axes of the shafts 43 and 4 4'are arranged in aparallelogram as viewed ,from the front of the machine so that from thataspect the belts 41 Aand 48 intersect or cross each other. Nevertheless,the upper burnish the coated surface to a high gloss while 75 reaches 50and5I of the belts travel asindicated stood, compensating for theconsequent changes bythe arrows inoppcslte directions in parallelism toa longitudinal .tangential line on the circumference of roll l fromwhich line they are offset from front to rear of the machine. This isbecause front and rear plates 4l and 42 (Fig. 7 particularly) have topanges 52 tted-withl rails 53 that support and guide these upper reachesof the brush belts.

The purpose of all this, as previously indicated, is that as the paperweb P comes onto the hot heat adjusted roll i of station A, it is (fromun:

demeath with respect to this roll) thoroughly brushed and stretchedlaterally, its surface being glossed and denuded ci free fibers and itbeing presented for treatment 'in the course of its fur.- ther progressin a thoroughly iiat and unwrinkled condition.

To regulate .this b contact, that is the 'intensity of the pressureagainst the web and roll l, a ement is made whereby the subsidlary frameril-d2 with the belts and the shafts and bearings therefor carried bysuch frames maybe raised and lowered on the main frame l. For thispurpose, the bearing brackets te on frame t@ (Figs, 3 and 6) areprovidedwith lateral lugs et in which are nxed depending rack pins 5t.The teeth on these rack pins are engaged byteetht cut in a transverselyextending shaft, 5l having bearings inbrackets Sie supported on the mainframe l and in which brackets the said rack pins are guided for verticalmovement. A crank (not shown) is applied to this shaft to turn it andraise and lower the said unit at station n through the mesh with therack pins and in its set position it is secured by a split frictionbrake indicated generally at 58 in Fig. l that is tightened against theshaft.

Aside from the raising and lowering ofthe subsidiary frames tt-dt-d, thebrushing pressure and general travel of the belts el and it is dependentto some extent upon the tension of the belts themselves. To regulatethis, the centrai standard portions of the plates fil and t2 areprovided with slots et and t@` (Fig. 'il in l which slide the ends oistuds tl and t2 on which turn jockeys or idlers t3. l"Ihese studs may beappropriately positioned and secured in their driven in unison. Theendsy of the said lower shafts are provided with bevel gears te meshingwith bevelled pinions e@ (Fig. 6) on a transverse shaft it. This shaftoats with the subsidiary frame ti, being supported in bearings ita onarms b extending rearwardly from brackets tt.

Referring now again to Fig. l, shaft l@ carries a sprocket it over whichruns a sprocket chain) l2 that connects it with'spur sprocket ttpreviously described, which spur sprocket meshes with main driving chain2S. This spur sprocket 36 is mounted on an arm 38a having a segment 33hmeshing with a hand adjusting work ttc so that in the raising andlowering of the brushing devices o this station A the proper drivingtension and contact may be maintained with rein the turning axes of thesprocket gears.

It will be noted that the whole mechanism of this brushing deviceals-station A is mounted on and carried by the brackets 51a at the frontofthe machine, 'is not otherwise connectedl to the main frame I and canbe applied lor removed as a unit. It can be individually assembledcomplete and the machine as a wholecan be sold with or without thisattachment on the preference of the purchaser.

The web having thusbeen brushed iree of surface iibers at station A andpreliminarily heated by roll' l of that station, it is in condition toproceed to station B and receive on its upper side the coating of hotwax or'other dope, the web .proceeding forwardly and then rearwardlyaround this roll l. l,

Station B in the present embodiment consists of devices best shown inFigs. 9 to 13l and, of course, in general in Figs. l and 2. Mounted ontop ci' frame i? in rear ofroll l to extend transversely from; side 'soside is ahot table 13 (Figs. 1 and l0), the surface thereof beingpreferably slightly upwardly inclined in the drection'of travel. Thetable is in the form 'of a cored box 'lil having suitable steam or hotwater circulation openings, as indicated at l5, communicating with `theinterior chest shown broken away at l5.

Within the box 'It adjacent to the chest is -a Vcylindrical cavity lirunning longitudinally 'thereof from side to side of the machine andVtransversely to the path of the web. It com` it intersects the samethrough a narrow longitudinal opening 'i8 providing a slot or mouthclearly shown in Fig. 9.

mensen within the cavity 'n is a flemme 'pneumatic tube orbag l@extending from end to end. It is preferably of soft rubber. It isdetachable, that is, it can be drawn oui-,longitudinally when deflatedand it is nued'with air at a controlled pressure. We have shown in thepresent instance as a means for innating and regulating the pressure aconventional hand pump @t mounted on the side of the frame l (Fig. 1)andr connected to the bag by a tube ti. When the bag is pumped up to theproper extent itwill protrude slightly through the opening '18 andpresent its surface to a desired degree above the plane or the surfaceof table "it, The web P travels lightly over this soft protrusion or aircushion and at that exact point rst cornes in contact with the is toprovide the coating.

The dope supply is carried in an elongated tank d2 jacketed at 83 lforheating by lwater or 5 steam from a suitable controlled source. It

*l spans the frame i, being supported' at each side by brackets @d uponwhich it slides up 'and down in suitable guides. It carries racks etindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 that mesh with pinions Bt'on handshaft 8l running through the brackets t@ so that the tank and itsequipment can be' raised and lowered at will and carried @ward and fromthe travelling. web. Depending from the 4. underside of the tank is aforwardly inclined plate tt secured to its bottom by screws t9.Extending through said bottom and communicating with the interior are aplurality of discharge or f spect to both chains l2 and 29, as will beunder i5 the inclinedplate 85 over which itv flows in a liquid dope thatdown the edges to the 'properl width because the coating devices wouldnot carry the coating to the very edges with any uniformity. `'.ll'heresult cut-off valves 9| having flngerpieces 92 and arranged so thattheir rear ends between stops 93 and 94'may slide across the drainopenings Partially or totally selectivelyv closing them. To insure aclose sealing contact, the discharge ends are provided with projectingcollars 95 and the .pivots 984 of thevalves or'shut-oifs 9| are providedwith thick rubber washers l91 that maintain the' contact under yieldingpressure.

Supported in bearings in suitable lateral end extensions of the plate 88is a relatively small rotary equalizer shaft 98. It consists of a rod orbar on which has been tightly wound in adjacent helical convolutlons awire 99, as appears in Figs. 10 and 1l. The rod or .shaft projectsbeyond the bracket 84 at the right or driving side of the machine whereit carries a pulley whereby the shaft is driven through a belt |0|passing thereover to a pulley |02 on the shaft of cooling roll I atstation F. An intermediate jockey pulley |03 on an arm pivoted at |04regulates the tension through a worm and segment adjusting mechanismindicated generally at |05.

The equalizer shaft 98 is below and closely adjacentto the lower end ofthe inclined plate 88 to receive the film of dope therefrom, rotates ina counterclockwise direction in Figs. l and 10, that is, it travels withinstead of against the surface of the Web and it registers with theopening 18 in the table 13. Behind it is a, supporting blade |96`secured to the plate 88 at |01, which blade, as

shown, in connection with the lower edge of plate 88, forms a sort ofpocket for the equalizer. The equalizer is so long and of suchrelatively small diameter that it would otherwise be apt to bend or giveand the function of this blade |06 is to counteract that tendency andhold it to its axis.

As previously described, the pneumatic bag 19 provides a, softprotruding ridge through the table opening 18 against which the webtravels. The elevation of the dope pan mechanism "carrying the equalizer98 is so regulated lon the oneface may be said to press the web upgently into uniform contact from side to side with the dope coveredsurface of the equalizer 98. At any rate, the equalizerand thesupporting blade |06 and associated parts form a wave of dope descendingfrom plate 88 onto the web that isspread by the rotation of the spiralsurface of the equalizer so that it forms a perfectly even andcontinuous coating of uniform. thickness and quality. Any small lumps orother impurities that ineviof this was* of course, aloss in material andlabor. With the present inventionthe bag 19 or pneumatic support-for theweb at the coating point being longer than theweb, it presses it againstthe equalizer to the very edges of the margins as we have attempted toshow in Fig. 11. To put it another way, the web P is, at the point ofapplication. imbedded in the soft under support between it and theperiphery of the equalizer against which it is pressed.

The wax and carbon dope of the present embodiment of the invention isparticularly sensitive to heat in the matter of its viscosity andspreading capabilities.- With the structure described, a function of theheated table 13 is to maintain the dope in that region and at the pointof application at the same temperature that it leaves the feed tank eventhough in the meantime it has passed as a film over plate 88. By soregulating the heat above and the heat below together with adjustment ofthe shut-oif valves 2|, the iiow can be nicely proportioned to the speedand absorptive qualities of the particular web.

The coated web now travels rearwardly with the coating unset to nextmeet the embossing station C which has already been adequately describedso far as the present invention is concerned. The mechanism showngenerally at |08 in Fig. 1 is obviously for the purpose of regulatingthe pressure between the rolls 9and I0. The same may be said of stationD where the heat radiationvupon the web is regulated during the settingof the dope while the functions of stations E and F were covered in theintroductory outline.

Beyond station F the web travels rearwardly toward winding station Hwith its coated side uppermost, the same having been cooled and set.However, we interpose at this point, as previously indicated, thesmothing and burnishing station G that greatly improves the quality ofthe surface and insures an unwrinkled uniform winding on the roll |9.'I'his burnisbing station is a selfcontained unit, as is station A, andoperates in a similar manner to some extent but, because of tablyoccasionally find their way into the dope are taken care of by thecushion which simply yields t0 them and lets them pass on to. constitutea purely localized blemish whereas in other types of applicators vsuchbodies are apt to be caught and cause streaks for long distances on thecoating before they are discovered.

` At this point, an important function and advantage of they pneumaticcontact from beneath the change in progress of the coating operating atthis p oint and for other structural reasons, we provide a differentarrangement shown in detail in Figs. 14 to 18 inclusive. Here, insteadof guiding the burnishing belts in the plane of the paper, we guide thepaper to the planes of the burnishing belts. Y

Immediately in rear of the roll l5 is a table. |09 of the general planshown in miniature in- Fig. 16 and of suilicient width to support thewhole web from edge to edge in intimate contact therewith and over thistable the coated and cooled web next passes, the front andA rear edgesof the table being provided with rounded or cam lips |||I. The table issupported between I posts hi rising poses previously announced.

from the separate brackets andv l2, In the same posts are bearings for atransverse shaft having pinions Il@ meshing with the said rack barsrespectively. An end oi shaft ||5 projects from thev right side of themachine, as shown at H1, and is squared to receive a hand ycrankAwhereby the rotation of the shaft to the. right through the rack barsraises the table and lowers it on the reverse.

At this point it may be pointed out that this adjusting shaft H5 is alsotted with a detachable hand clamp-ed friction lock H like the loclr 58previously described in connection with the elevating mechanism atstation A and other brake type locks indicated at lis are similarly usedon other adjusting shafts hereinafter described to hold them in setposition, but these with driving pulleys i3d. .at the left side'oi themachine (appearing at the right in le.) outside bracket |311 on theframe i supports a motor |38 having a pulley it@ on each endoi its shaftover which runs a drive belt4 it@ that goes to one of the pulleys i3d.All oi these cys have the same pitch diameter so that both the drivingbelts and both the burnishin be driven in exactly the same way at thesame speed. These driving belts pass from the motor across to the moreremote pairs oi p two, belts for obvious mechanical reasons.

Attention is called to the fact that as so cena structed the .brushmechanism of station G "1i" that of station A is self-contained andconstitutes an individual unit readily applied to and are knownmechanical elements and they will l not be again referred tospecincally.

In general, it is desired to raise the web over guide rolls l1previously described and thence over table |09, guide roll I8 anddownwardly again toward the winding roll I9 at station H but theelevating and depressing mechanism for the table with which we are nowconcerned in the description is more particularly for the purpose ofregulating its contact with the brushing and burnishingdevices about tobe described.

These burnishing and smoothing devices consist of companion belts |20and B2i, the lower reaches of which run closely parallel but arecrossed, as shown in Fig. 14, and travel in opposite directions. T'hetable is also rounded on a longitudinal axis, that is, it dipsdownwardly from the raised center toward each side of the nain frame.Both belt reaches contact it '(,or the web is travelling on it) at ornear its center so that one belt progresses downwardly in one directiontoward one edge of the web and the other opporsitely, the two beltstogether smoothing and stretching the web from its center for the pur- 1The belts are ilexible belts covered with a soft material such as woolthat will effect this spreading and stretching action but will notinjure theA coating but improve its surface.

l The belts and |2`| are mounted, as will now be described. so that theymay also be raised and lowered with reference tothe table and also sothat the tension on each may be independently controlled, all to eiectthe proper brushing contact. Except for the crossed relationship and theelevation of the'live land dead pulleys, which are of course reversed,the two belt systems are identical, so they can be described togetherwith the same` reference numerals.

Also xed on the brackets iii and iii on opposite sides of the posts liliare similar posts |22 and E23 with bearings for short hand crank.elevating shafts |26 and |25. These shafts carry gears |26 meshing withthe teeth o rack bar stems |21 carrying yokes |28 and |29 supportingpulleys `|30 over which the burnishing belts run in the two sides of themachine. The yokes i2@ are pivoted on their stems by wrist pins G3i andhave pivoted thereto at |32 (Fig. la) screws ist provided with operatingand locking thumb nuts :machine may or may removed from the machine andwith which the not be equipped at the option of the purchaser oraccording to the na= ture of the work in hand, as in the application oicoatings oi some descriptions which ht not be necessary or desirable.The brackets Eiland ||2 carrying this unit are separate from the mainframe, as shown and described, and attached parts arranged outside ofthe main frame are of a detachable nature.

The prevention of wrinkling of the coated web as it passes onto thewinding roll is a more important function of burnishing, and stillanother important function thereof resides in the eect that-the beltshave on the structure of the coating itself. The grain of the paper runslongitudinally and the grain o the coating', :because or the nature ofthe application, runs longitud' ally also upto this point.

However, the belts reverse the grain of the coat ing, that is, disposeit transversely and homogenize the body thereof so that there are nontie longitudinal lines remaining as in most carbon papers. vIn fact,these belts actually stretch the coating laterally so that a surfacetension that would otherwise sides toward the center is destroyed andthe tendency of the paper to similarly curl from the sides inwardlybecause oi its` longitudinal grain is thereby counteracted. The resultisv that when ythe carbon paper is removed from the roll and cut intosheets it lies nat or curls less readily than would otherwise be thecase.

The remainder of the progress of the web and its ilnal disposition havebeen previously dei scribed.`

llt will be understood that in an organized machine of this generalnature, the character ci' the 53N that react against the frame pieces ion opposite sides.

Thus it will be seen that by a handl adjustment of these screws on themovable yoke web being coated and the nature or the coating appliedthereto may require obvious modication of the treatments abovedescribed. vSuch descrip- .tion had in mind the coating oi a tissuepaper web with carbon wax, but auchy departures will suggest themselvesto those skilled in the art tion.

We claim as our invention:

`l. In a'web coating machine of the character described, the combinationwith a main frame carrying a plurality of devices fordriving, guidingand supporting a travelling web, of 'a preliminary heating station forthe web embodying a heat controllable roll over which it is guided,

a subsidiary frame on ythe main frame adjacent l y toy said roll havingtwo tracks offset from each the right other side by side and eachcomprising an up= wardly inclined portion meeting that of the other atthe longitudinal center of the roll, two brush belts running in thetracks in opposte directions cys ci the y this station G than the meretend to make it curl from the the spirit o the inven- 6 on thelongitudinal center of the roll toward the margins of the web forsmoothing the web laterally while on the roll said brushes initiallycontacting the roll at the same circumferential line,

and means for thereafterf'fdepositing a coating of the latterfrom thecenter outwardly, said belts` being otherwise in crossed relationshipwith each other and the said under reaches being at the angles of andinclined along the slopes of the table to press the web against thelatter.

3. In aweb coating machine, the-combination with a main frame carrying aplurality of y devices for driving, guiding and supporting a travellingweb, o'f a device for spreading dope on the web, means for Supplyingdope to said device, a cooling roll, winding means, and brushing meansarranged between said last two mentioned means for smoothing andburnishing the coated web from its center toward its opposite sides,said brushing means being detachable and replaceable as a unit on theframe of the machine.

4. In a web coating machine, the combination with a main frame carryinga plurality of devices for driving, guiding and supporting a travellingweb including a table over which the web passes, said table having araised-central portion and being inclined downwardly therefrom in bothdirections toward the lateral margins of the web, of l-two brushingbelts having parallel reaches running in opposite directions and crossedwith respect to each other, said reaches respectively-engaging againstthe two inclines to burnish and stretch the web from its center towarditsy margins, and means'for driving the belts.

5. In a web coating machine, the combination with a main frame carryinga plurality of devices for driving, guiding and supporting a travel.ling web including a table over which the web passes, said table havinga raised central portion and being inclined downwardly therefrom in bothdirections toward the lateral margins of the web, of two brushing beltshaving parallel reaches running in opposite directions and crossed withrespect to each other, said reaches respectively engaging against thetwo inclines to burnish and stretch the web from its center toward itsvmargins, means for raising and lowering the table toward and from thebelts, and means for driving the latter.

6. In a web coating machine, the combination with a main frame carryinga plurality of devices for driving, guiding and supporting a travellingweb including a table over which the web passes, said table having araised central portion and being inclined downwardly therefrom in bothdirections toward the lateral margins of the web, of -two brushing beltshaving parallel reaches running in opposite directions and crossed withrespect to each other, said reaches respectively engaging against thetwo inclines to burnish and stretch the web from its center toward itsmargins, means for driving the belts including a pair of pulleys foreach, and means for lowering and raising the pulleys toward and from thetable.

7. In a web coating machine, the Acombination with a main frame carryinga plurality of devices for driving, guiding and supporting a travellingweb including a table over which the web passes, said table having araised central portion and being inclined downwardly therefrom in bothdirections toward the lateral margins of the web, of two brushing beltshaving parallel reaches running in opposite directions and crossed withrespect to each other, said reaches respectively engaging against thetwo inclines to burnish and stretch the web from its center toward itsmargins, means for driving the belts including a pair of pulleys foreach arranged at opposite sides of frame, one pulley of each pair beingmounted upon a, pivoted yoke, and means on the frame for rocking said'pivoted pulleys to tighten or loosen the belts.

8.' In a web coatingmachine, the combination with web supporting,feeding and guiding means including a. table over which the web passes,said table embodying an elongated slot extending transversely of thepath of the web, of

means for applying dope to the web including an equalizer rod forspreading the same arranged above the slot, and an air inflated flexibletube beneath the table arranged to protrude through the slot and pressthe device.

9. In a web coating machine, the combination with a web supporting,feeding and guiding means including a steam chest, the top of whichconstitutes a table over which the web is passed,

said chest being provided with a cavity and theI table Abeing providedwith a slot communicating with the cavity and extending transverselyofthe path of the web, of an elongated dope spreading device arrangedabove the table in register with the slot, means for supplying dopethereto, and a liexible pneumatic tube arranged in the cavity in thechest and adapted to protrude through the slot in the table to press theweb against the spreading device.

10. In la, web coating machine, the combination with lweb supporting,feeding and guiding means, ofmeans for depositing dope upon the webembodying a plate down which a film of dope may dow, an equalizer rodunder` the lower edge of the plate for spreading the dope on the surfaceof the web, and a supporting blade carried by the plate in rear of therodY and having its edge projecting forwardly'beneath the rearwardoverhanging :curvature of rod.v

e CHARLES W. MAYER..

WALTER LUEDERS. RALPH J. CONSLER.

web against the spreading

